Black Market Merchant

Chapter 162: Employed
”Woah! Where did those come from!” Frank’s father shouted out.

Hearing his surprise, everyone looked and immediately fell into a hushed silence. Even the kids stopped playing to gawk at the huge black and yellow striped mechanisms heavily thumping their way. Even though the Mechs were on the other side of the river, the sound of their heavy footsteps could be heard. The three mechs had just started to appear through the tree line and onto the old road leading to the dam. By now the first one had already fully appeared.

“Those are Mineral Mover Mechs.” Lisa explained as everyone was currently speechless. “They are working on building a road down the cliffside to finally begin reconnecting the two sides of town. I need you, Mr. Hans, to assist with building that road. Particularly in dealing with how to maintain its stability in allowing heavy loads down a slope safely, the heavier the better. Your son said you used to work for the DOT (Department of Transportation), correct?”

“Ya, I-I did.” Mr. Hans, Frank’s father, answered unsure how to respond. “How did you manage to get such equipment all the way out here? There must be a reason you are doing this. You couldn’t be doing this because you actually see yourself making a profit from this one road? Our town has nothing to offer.”

“Actually, I do see a large profit in fact.” Lisa answered while enjoying seeing the people’s disbelief. “I wouldn’t find it logical either that building a road alone could gain me all that much money, nor could selling fish to the two sides of town. Yet these two ideas are just steppingstones to help me reach my goal. I have something much better planned.”

Then Lisa clapped her hands together, drawing everyone’s attention to her. “Please follow me into the big building here. The sun is getting lower, and I don’t want to have you all walking home in the dark, so I will show it to you all now.”

Lisa had everyone’s interest now and the group of adults eagerly followed her. Just before going inside Lisa saw that the front Mech had stopped, and the front hatch was opening up. Gillian emerged and seeing him, Lisa waved for him to come over.

“Sadie?” Lisa called.

“Yes?” Sadie replied looking up from a fish she was skewering onto a stick to be roasted.

“Let Gillian know that they can take as many fish as they can.” Lisa said as she prepared to open the Powerhouse’s big sliding door for everyone to enter.

Sadie gave a thumbs up and went back to work.

…

Earlier, Tom had become the most nervous he had ever been in his life. Speaking alone with two girls, at the same time! He felt as if Lisa and his Grandpa had thrown him to the wolves, so to speak.

“So, your name is Tom, right?” Clair started off after Lisa and Mr. Ulster left. “My name is Clair, and this is Hanna.”

Tom nodded dumbly. Hanna in turn gave a small wave sheepishly as Clair continued.

“So, what kind of technology are you interested in? We have been trying to learn more about Mech functionality and what the parts are actually for. You see, Hanna kind of has a… a thing with mechs.” Clair then glanced at Hanna, who kind of just shrugged in reply.

“I guess that’s one way of putting it.” Hanna answered. “I’m don’t fully understand it either. Have you ever heard of anyone touching a Mech and suddenly understanding how it works?”

Tom didn’t know what to do. He kept looking between the two girls and stammering. “I, uh, well…”

The two girls were staring at him much to expectantly. He could feel their gaze burning right through his thin, nerdy frame.

“I-I don’t know a lot about mechs, per say.” Tom stuttered getting his thoughts together. He couldn’t meet their gaze and kept looking aimlessly past them as he spoke. “I know more about communications, sensors and boat motor repairs. That and computer components. It’s not something I think you two would find all that interesting.”

“Sensors?” Hanna asked cocking her head to one side. “Do mean like something similar to the terrain sensors on the bottoms of mechs feet that distinguish what kind of ground its standing on? Because the leg shock absorbers need to adjust calibration accordingly to compensate for the increase of vibrations upon impact to reduce wear and tear on the legs knee rotor-cuffs, and among other things.”

Both Tom and Clair were both looking blankly at Hanna, as if they were looking at an alien. Neither of them expected such a response from her. She even gave the explanation so effortlessly, it was impressive.

“K-kind of…” Tom mumbled. “I-I was referring to boat sensors, like radar and sonar.”

“Oh, those Mover Mechs have radar functionality!” Hanna said excitedly pointing across the dam. “Let’s go see if Gillian will let us on his and we can compare what you know to what the mech has!”

Both young teens looked where Hanna was pointing to see that the Mover Mechs were indeed coming out of the woods. Hanna then unexpectedly grabbed an arm of each of them, much to Tom’s embarrassment, to start pulling them towards the dam.

“Come on and let’s hurry and get Mr. Weathers to come with us.” Hanna continued excitedly pulling the two along. “Look, the adults are getting ready to go inside.”

“Ok, Hanna, we are coming. No need to rush so much!” Clair said while letting out a bit of unsteady laughter. She was still befuddled by Hanna’s big words.

Tom was beat red though. This was too close for his introverted-self’s comfort to be with a girl. Thankfully, his scraggly long hair kept his face mostly hidden as he was swept away.

John was following at the back of the group of adults as they were going into the dam. He already figured out that Lisa was going to show off her electricity but was going to tag along anyway. Then he heard Hanna calling his name from behind. Turning he saw the three excitable teens coming his way.

“Mr. Weathers! Can you come with us to see the Mechs?” Hanna shouted. “You promised I could if you came with us. Besides, you still need to see me work them!”

John sighed and took a glance at the three big machines that had now all come to a stop on the road. The ERM soldiers were also already starting to cross the dam, with hungry expressions. The wind was blowing their way and the smell of cooking fish was drawing them in like moth to a flame.

“Very well.” John replied. “I do still need to see the truth with my own eyes.”

“Trust me, I am not making this up! Come on, before Gillian leaves them Mech!” Hanna replied with glee. She then let go of the others with her and started hurrying ahead.

Hanna wanted to reconnect with the Mech badly. It was like a new light was shinning into her dark world of uncertainty and broadening her horizon. The youthful joy of learning something new was plain as day to everyone watching her.

Gillian was just about to close the door to his Mech and head across the dam to the fish fry. The smokey smell of wood and fish were faint, but it was enough to make his stomach growl. That’s when he heard Hanna shouting at him as she was weaving towards him in and out of the ERM soldiers.

“Ah, I was hoping to eat now, but I guess little miss prodigy should come first.” Gillian murmured to himself. Turning around and still holding onto the top of the door he called down to the little tan girl. “Come on up if you insist. We can do a quick maneuver or two before I need to eat!”

“Yes!” Hanna shouted in reply as she reached the bottom rung of the ladder. Turning, Hanna waved on the three others following behind.

Gillian saw them and recognized Clair but the other two were unfamiliar. The teen boy was nothing out of the ordinary, but the adult wasn’t the same. He looked rather serious, and Gillian noted from the way he walked was that of someone who was, or is, used to being in charge. Gillian decided that it would probably be best to come down and speak with him.

“Hold on Hanna, let me come down first.” Gillian called down to the little girl.

Hanna was already three rungs high in her eagerness to climb, but upon hearing him, she dropped back down to the old, cracked roadway. Gillian climbed down and reached the bottom just as the three arrived.

“Hello there, my name is Gillian and I’m the one in charge of things going on over here.” Gillian said extending his hand out to John.

John firmly took Gillian’s hand, and they shook once. “The pleasure is mine. Lisa seems to speak well of you.”

“That’s good to hear.” Gillian replied. “So, what can I do for you?”

“Its about Hanna. I am her guardian and naturally when I heard that someone was going to have her work on a Mech, I needed to find out what was going on.” John answered looking Gillian over. His inspection skills from being a cop hadn’t been lost to him in the slightest. He could tell that Gillian, though getting older, was still a sizeable man and with intentions unclear still.

“That’s totally understandable.” Gillian remarked. “Please, ask me anything you need too. I will assure you that I won’t put Hanna into anything dangerous, its just that that girl has got some real talent and it would be a shame to waste.”

Tom and Clair had been listening to the exchange between the two men and felt completely out of place. Luckily for them Hanna was already climbing through the Mech cockpit’s doorway.

“Come on guys!” Hanna called before disappearing inside.

“Umm, Mr. Weathers?” Clair asked softly. “Can we go into the Mech now? Hanna’s already inside.”

“That’s fine, I can hear it’s not on anyway.” John replied stopping in mid-sentence while speaking with Gillian. His focus was no him, not the kids.

Clair wanted to say that Hanna already knew how to turn it on but decided that now wasn’t the best time to point that fact out. “Come on Tom. I think you will like being in the Mech.”

…

Lisa had finished showing all the adults her precious electricity and this was the final push that concreted their willingness to work for Lisa. With the prospects of getting their town and life back to normal was clearly going to be worth the venture. After returning to the fires to join with the rest of the ERM soldier workers, Lisa finished her employment sales pitch.

“So, I already explained what I wanted from most of you, as for the rest, I would like to hire you all for construction and electrical line laying.”

“That sounds great to me!” Clair’s father, Kirk, replied adamantly.

“The same for go’s us.” Sorra’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albas, said in unison.

“I’ll do the electrical work.” Chase’s father, Mr. Timberman, answered. “I used to be a contractor electrician for a few years. Before that I used to lay tile and carpeting, so I can help with construction too.”

“I’m afraid that the Nelson’s and us won’t be of much use to though.” Jillian’s mother, Mrs. Goldsberry, interjected. “You see, we four already have our own joint jewelry and quality items trade shop to run.”

“That actually won’t an issue. I might have things to sell to you both now and the future. You should know that I am also clearing out the storage units just down the hill and may find valuables to for you.” Lisa replied unbothered by the minor problem. “Consider it now that you all here are now employed once again!”